- A
Application Load Balancer for the web tier and Network Load Balancer for the application tier
This is a standard architecture: ALB handles HTTP/HTTPS traffic and can scale based on CPU; NLB handles TCP traffic and can scale based on request count.
- B
Classic Load Balancer for both tiers
Why wrong: Classic Load Balancer is legacy and does not support advanced features like path-based routing or target group health checks required for modern architectures.
- C
Network Load Balancer for the web tier and Application Load Balancer for the application tier
Why wrong: NLB is not ideal for HTTP/HTTPS traffic because it does not support path-based routing or HTTP header inspection. ALB is better for the web tier.
- D
Amazon API Gateway for the web tier and Application Load Balancer for the application tier
Why wrong: API Gateway is designed for API endpoints, not for serving web pages. It is not a replacement for a load balancer in a web tier.
Quick Answer
The answer is to use an Application Load Balancer for the web tier and a Network Load Balancer for the application tier. This is correct because the ALB operates at Layer 7, making it ideal for distributing HTTP/HTTPS traffic and integrating with Auto Scaling groups that scale based on CPU utilization, while the NLB operates at Layer 4, handling millions of requests per second with ultra-low latency, which perfectly supports scaling based on request count for the application tier. On the AWS Certified SAP on AWS Specialty PAS-C01 exam, this scenario tests your understanding of matching load balancer characteristics to specific scaling metrics and protocol requirements—a common trap is choosing an ALB for both tiers or misapplying an NLB for web traffic that needs path-based routing. Remember the memory tip: “ALB for the web (Layer 7, CPU), NLB for the app (Layer 4, request count).”
PAS-C01 Technology Practice Question
This PAS-C01 practice question tests your understanding of technology. Match the stated requirement to the specific cloud service, access model, or configuration option — many options are valid in isolation but not for this scenario. After answering, compare your reasoning against the explanation and wrong-answer breakdown below. Once you have made your selection, read the full explanation to reinforce the concept and understand why each distractor is designed to mislead on exam day.
A company is designing a multi-tier web application on AWS. The web tier must scale based on CPU utilization, and the application tier must scale based on request count. Both tiers are deployed in a VPC with public and private subnets. Which combination of AWS services should the company use?
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
Application Load Balancer for the web tier and Network Load Balancer for the application tier
Option A is correct because the web tier requires an Application Load Balancer (ALB) to distribute HTTP/HTTPS traffic and can scale based on CPU utilization using an Auto Scaling group with a target tracking policy. The application tier needs a Network Load Balancer (NLB) to handle high request counts at the transport layer (TCP/UDP), which is ideal for scaling based on request count per target. This combination allows each tier to use the most appropriate load balancer for its scaling metric and protocol requirements.
Key principle: Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✓
Application Load Balancer for the web tier and Network Load Balancer for the application tier
- ✗
Classic Load Balancer for both tiers
Why it's wrong here
Classic Load Balancer is legacy and does not support advanced features like path-based routing or target group health checks required for modern architectures.
- ✗
Network Load Balancer for the web tier and Application Load Balancer for the application tier
Why it's wrong here
NLB is not ideal for HTTP/HTTPS traffic because it does not support path-based routing or HTTP header inspection. ALB is better for the web tier.
- ✗
Amazon API Gateway for the web tier and Application Load Balancer for the application tier
Why it's wrong here
API Gateway is designed for API endpoints, not for serving web pages. It is not a replacement for a load balancer in a web tier.
Common exam traps
Common exam trap: answer the scenario, not the keyword
The trap here is that candidates often assume the web tier should use an NLB for high performance, but the ALB is required for HTTP/HTTPS traffic and CPU-based scaling, while the NLB is better suited for the application tier when scaling based on request count at the transport layer.
Detailed technical explanation
How to think about this question
Under the hood, an ALB uses target groups with health checks and can route requests based on path or host headers, while an NLB preserves the client IP and handles millions of requests per second with ultra-low latency. A common real-world scenario is a microservices architecture where the web tier (ALB) handles user-facing traffic and the application tier (NLB) forwards requests to backend services that need static IP addresses for whitelisting. The key subtlety is that ALB scaling policies use the 'RequestCountPerTarget' metric, but for CPU-based scaling, you must use a custom CloudWatch alarm or a target tracking policy on the 'CPUUtilization' metric of the Auto Scaling group.
KKey Concepts to Remember
- Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
- Find the constraint that changes the correct option.
- Eliminate answers that are true in general but not in this case.
TExam Day Tips
- Watch for words such as best, first, most likely and least administrative effort.
- Review why wrong options are wrong, not only why the correct option is correct.
Key takeaway
Answer the scenario, not the keyword: identify the specific constraint before choosing the most familiar-sounding option.
Real-world example
How this comes up in practice
A media company stores terabytes of video archives that are accessed once a year for audit purposes. Moving these objects to a cold storage tier (Azure Archive, S3 Glacier, or Google Nearline) costs a fraction of hot storage. Questions like this test whether you understand storage tiers, access frequency tradeoffs, and retrieval latency requirements.
What to study next
Got this wrong? Here's your next step.
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
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FAQ
Questions learners often ask
What does this PAS-C01 question test?
Technology — This question tests Technology — Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer..
What is the correct answer to this question?
The correct answer is: Application Load Balancer for the web tier and Network Load Balancer for the application tier — Option A is correct because the web tier requires an Application Load Balancer (ALB) to distribute HTTP/HTTPS traffic and can scale based on CPU utilization using an Auto Scaling group with a target tracking policy. The application tier needs a Network Load Balancer (NLB) to handle high request counts at the transport layer (TCP/UDP), which is ideal for scaling based on request count per target. This combination allows each tier to use the most appropriate load balancer for its scaling metric and protocol requirements.
What should I do if I get this PAS-C01 question wrong?
Identify which exam domain this question belongs to, review the core concept, then practise similar questions from the same domain.
What is the key concept behind this question?
Read the scenario before looking for a memorised answer.
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Last reviewed: Jun 11, 2026
This PAS-C01 practice question is part of Courseiva's free Amazon Web Services certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the PAS-C01 exam.
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